Forget rain, Seattle this month is among the nation's snowiest cities: More snow has fallen there than in Buffalo, Cleveland and Boston combined.

As of Monday morning, 14.1 inches of snow have fallen in Seattle this month, making it the city's snowiest February on record.

And more snow is on the way, as a winter storm watch was in effect from Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service said. Some 3-6 inches is forecast in the city, before a possible changeover to a cold rain on Tuesday.

"What a mess," said meteorologist Cliff Mass of the University of Washington.

It's not only Seattle, as the entire Pacific Northwest is expecting ongoing bouts of snow and cold this week. In the Cascades, snow will be measured in feet, not inches.

In the Seattle metro area, the additional snow will cause major disruptions to travel and daily routines, including an extended stretch of school closures, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski. Hundreds of flights were cancelled Sunday, and more are on tap for Monday.

Temperatures have also reached record lows, falling into the teens or single digits in many areas. It was 9 degrees in Arlington, Washington, early Sunday. The weather service said that was colder than the Arctic coast or North Slope of Alaska.

The wintry weather has fallen on a city much more accustomed to rain than snow. Seattle normally averages only 0.7 inch of snow each February.

"This February in Seattle is going to be remembered for brutal winter weather for many folks not used to it," Weather.us meteorologist Ryan Maue said last week.

However, the unusual weather was not all doom and gloom for some in the Pacific Northwest. During a break between storms, some Seattle residents flocked to neighborhood hills over the weekend with skis, sleds, laundry baskets - and even a kayak.

"It's just a wonderful community getting out here together in the snow. Great that we live by the school here with the hill," Tony Muhlenkamp told KOMO-TV on Saturday.

While 14.1 inches of snow is certainly a lot for Seattle, it's still only the 8th-snowiest month on record, the weather service said. And It's a long way from the city's all-time snowiest month of 57.2 inches in January of 1950.

Contributing: Susan Miller, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Skis, sleds, laundry baskets ... kayaks? Seattle residents take advantage of record snow